How the crybaby grew up
by SvenTheRogueKnight
Summary: Len Kagamine has always been a crybaby. But things change, don't they? How Len Kagamine became a crybaby, and how Len Kagamine had to stop being one. First Vocaloid fic! Two-shot(?)/Three-shot(?) MikuXKaito MikuXLen
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! None of you probably know who I am, but that's because this is my first ever Vocaloid fanfic. I discovered Vocaloid around Christmas last year and I've wanted to write a story about it since. However, since I'm a lazy ass, I was only able to do so now. Since I discovered Vocaloid and its characters, I've been hooked. It's crazy! Not only is the music pretty good and I find the characters interesting. So, my Vocaloid otp is LenXMiku and I just find them to be completely adorable. Well, without further ado, here's my first ever Vocaloid fanfiction! Enjoy!**

There comes a time in everyone's life where he/she wishes that a fast-forward button to the future existed for he/she would rather die(not really but you get the point) than face a certain…challenge. Simply because said challenge would bring utter embarrassment and/or desire to crawl into a hole and rot there until one's body cells decay. Unfortunately for those people, such feature does not exist.

And unfortunately for Len Kagamine, he was one of those people, at the moment at least. For the little boy wanted nothing more than to go home and bury himself in his mother's arms.

It was the first day of kindergarten. Like a lot of kids, little Len had been frightened by the mere thought of going to school and meeting other kids. However, no matter how much he begged, his parents refused to let him stay home. They told him that it won't be as horrible as he thought it would be. He grimaced as he remembered his parents' words of comfort.

" _Son, it's time to go. I know how much you don't like being around other people, but you need to try this time. Don't worry, kiddo, there are kids inside, just like you"_

" _You'll be fine, son. Your sister's already inside. Plus, I'm sure you can handle it. You're a big boy after all, aren't you"_

" _Of course he can! He's our Lenny after all!"_

The moment he stepped foot in the room, he felt multiple pairs of eyes on him. All of the sudden, the surge of confidence brought upon by his parents' reassurance faded. What were these kids looking at? Did they not like him? Did they find him creepy? Did they not want to be friends with him? Did they think he was not…cool enough? Negative thoughts swirled around the boy's mind.

Inside the room were five tables with four chairs each. Setting aside his usual pickiness, he settled for the seat beside his sister's. Since the chairs were arranged in a way that there were two chairs on one side and two on the other, Len had to sit across a random kid. He didn't bother taking a glance at the kids in front of him. He merely hung his head, his eyes trained on the soft fabric of his shorts. For alas, his shyness prevailed once again; enduring numerous focused stares took a lot out of the poor boy. While his sister on the other hand, was already chatting away with her other seatmates. Judging from the giggles and exchanges he heard, it appears that his sister already had a handful of friends on her corner.

The first hour and a half was rather uneventful for little Len. He only tore his gaze away from his lap whenever his teacher spoke. The boy's neck already started to ache, showing early signs of a stiff neck, but he didn't care. At least this way, he won't see if the other kids are staring at him again.

Soon enough, the raven-haired teacher closed her textbook and asked the children to bring out their lunch bags, signaling the beginning of recess period. After eating, she announced that because the children behaved well, she would allot more time for them to play outside. With multiple cheers erupting from the kids, the teacher opened the door and watched as her young students rushed to the playground.

"Let's play! I wanna try the swing set! Come on, Mikuo!" his sister, who sat beside him, yelled before grabbing the arm of the kid in front of her and running along. Unlike him, his sister appeared to be having the best day of her life. While he hated interacting with others, his sister was the complete opposite. She was so amicable, causing everyone she meets to shower her with attention.

Tch. Only if he was as awesome as her sister was. All she had to do was captivate others using her cuteness. He returned his gaze on his lap, slumping his shoulders.

"Aren't ya comin'?"

The blond slowly tilted his head upwards to find a girl staring at him. She appeared to be around his age. She had unusually teal-colored hair which extended past her shoulders. Her petite, heart-shaped face was defined by her bluish-green eyes. Her skin, was white as porcelain, just like his mother's.

Len blinked, focusing on the question rather than the features of the cute girl. He returned his gaze to his lap and shook his head in reply.

"Aw, come on! It'll be fun!" the girl urged.

Len looked up again and saw the girl smiling at him with her hand outstretched towards him. Somehow, Len's wanted to play with him. Besides, his parents did tell him that he was bound to meet someone who wouldn't dislike him. Maybe she was one of them? Len simply decided to find out.

Hesitantly, he got up from his seat and walked towards the girl. He looked her in the eye, causing her to giggle. Seeing her teal eyes (which complemented her hair perfectly) radiate with such innocence made him feel that maybe this wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

"My name's Miku! What's yours?"

Len flushed before replying "I'm Len"

The girl grinned at his reply "Nice to meet'cha, Len! Now come on! I wanna play tag!" she declared before grabbing his hand and running outside to the playground. Len felt a smile tug on the corner of his lips as he was dragged by the teal-haired girl.

 _That was how he met_ _ **her**_

A frown was etched upon the seven year-old boy's lips. Miku should already be here by now! Seriously, it's been five minutes since recess period began. He kicked his legs off the ground, swaying himself backward on the swing set he sat on. Soon, he got carried away and was swinging himself as hard as he could. All of the sudden, he felt himself come to a halt from his swaying. He looked up beside him and saw three boys smirking evilly at him. One of the boys had his hands on the swing set's chains, preventing it from moving. Before the befuddled boy could even lift his eyebrows, he was shoved forward with astonishing force.

The blond yelped when his skin made contact with the ground. Pain shot through multiple areas of his body. The pain on his left cheek seemed to stand out; he felt the tender flesh throb as if it was his own heart. He reached up and grazed the throbbing spot with his fingers. When he moved them back in front of his face, he felt dizzy; his slim fingers were now coated with blood. The mere sight of the red substance made bile rise up his throat.

"What are you doing here, Banana Freak?"

"Shouldn't you be stuffing your face with bananas like the ugly gorilla you are?"

"Yeah! Don't use the swing set! You'll cover it with your gorilla cooties! Go use the monkey bars over there!"

"Get lost you freak!"

The boy found himself helpless as countless insults were thrown at him. Tears began to form at the corner of his cerulean eyes. Why were they doing this to him? Why were they being so mean? What did he do to deserve this? Why were they insulting him when he's been nothing but kind towards them? Why didn't he have any friends? Was the world really this cruel?

"Hey! Leave him alone!" someone shouted. Almost instantly, silence ensued, stopping any more insults from leaving the bullies' mouths.

The three boys who were picking on the poor blond turned their heads to see who was interrupting their fun. There stood a teal-haired girl; hands on her hips, eyebrows furrowed in anger, lips curved into a nasty frown and eyes gleaming with desire for revenge. She glared at the bullies with such disdain that it was beyond frightening.

When the boys realized who it was, they began to snicker and seconds later broke into uncontrollable laughter. About a minute or so of laughing and wiping tears of pure amusement off their eyes, they approached the tealette. They stopped just a couple of inches in front of the little girl. They smirked arrogantly before letting her have a piece of their minds.

"Oh look, it's the little Leek Head"

"What are you gonna do about it, twerp?"

"If you don't want to end up like Banana Freak over there, you better get lost girlie"

The tealette lost her temper; in other words, hell was about to be unleashed. A distinct smacking sound resonated in the air. In a blink of an eye, the boy in front of her was no longer there. The other two boys blinked several times before turning their heads to the ground. They almost couldn't believe what they saw. There lay their friend, clutching his cheek. The boy's flesh throbbed in absolute pain. A red handprint was across his left cheek, signifying the tealette's reply to his and his friends' threats.

A loud whimper escaped from the boy's lips. Tears began to fall uncontrollably from his eyes. The once childish atmosphere suddenly became a serious one. Silence ensued. Not a sound was made, save for the wails of the boy on the ground. Once they realized what just happened, the two other bullies returned their gazes to the tealette who just slapped the living hell out of their friend. This time though, the mocking glint in their eyes was no longer present. Instead, their eyes were now wide in fear. Who knew that a little girl such as the one in front of them had the ability and the guts to stand up for herself?

The boy clutching his cheek abruptly stood up and ran away. He sprinted as fast as he could away from the scene. Even as his retreating form began to fade from sight, his sobs were still very much audible. When he was completely out of sight, the little girl eyed the two boys who were still frozen in shock. When her teal orbs shifted towards them, they were consumed by fear. In a split second, they were running for their lives as well.

After the three meanies finally left, the tealette turned to her blond friend who was now sitting up with his head hung low. Amidst the exchange between her and the bullies, the boy was able to sit himself up. But now, the boy appeared to be crying. The sight of her trembling friend broke the little girl's heart. She rushed to his side and crouched in front of him.

The blond had long lost the resolve to hold in his tears. He himself, just like the bully that was slapped by his friend moments ago, was sobbing like an infant albeit silently. His body quivered; he choked on his tears, wheezing as he struggled to breathe. The gravel beneath him had dark spots on it, serving as landing zones for his warm tears.

All of a sudden, he felt a pair of warm hands cup his cheeks. Upon the warm touch, Len felt his face gently being tilted upwards. When Miku's eyes met with his, the tealette let out a gasp. Needless to say, the girl was shocked at what she saw. She knew Len had been bullied, but she didn't know that he was bullied to this extent. She eyed ugly gash on her friend's cheek that was still bleeding. His tears mixed with his blood; by the time his teardrops reached his chin, they already had a transparent-red color.

Len, like Miku, was shocked when their gazes met. He didn't want her to see him like this. He didn't want her to see him crying like a baby. He didn't want her to see him wounded and bleeding like a pathetic dog that he is. He didn't want her to think that he's useless. He didn't want her to think that he's ugly. He didn't…he didn't…

He didn't want her to leave him.

That's why he was shocked even more when Miku simply smiled at him. She appeared to look…relieved? Huh? But…wh-

Before he could comprehend with what was happening, he found himself in the arms of the girl in front of him. He froze. She wasn't going to walk away? She wasn't going to tell him that he was ugly? She didn't want to tell him that she didn't ever want to see him again?

"It's okay. I'm here with you. You're safe now" Miku mumbled. She tightened her arms around his neck, almost squeezing him to death. She nuzzled his cheek tenderly. She continued whispering words into his ear, mostly reminders about how everything was going to be okay. Eventually, Miku pulled away. Their gazes met once again. Miku smiled warmly at him again.

When he saw those familiar teal irises, all doubt disappeared. He was safe. He was with her. Miku was here. Miku wasn't going to leave him. Everything was going to be okay. Those beautiful teal eyes promised him so.

He believed them.

 _That was when_ _ **she**_ _became his_ _ **first true friend**_

He can't remember the last time he had ever felt so cold. He was shivering, his body unable to withstand the ridiculously low temperature. His lungs were burning. His cheeks were paler than usual. His eyes felt like they were being pricked by thousands of needles. Was it because of his attire? But he was wearing a suit. He shouldn't be cold. And the last time he checked, it was summer.

So why was he freezing?

His train of thought was derailed by the sound of a loud wheeze. He blinked several times to snap himself back to reality. The first thing his eyes landed upon gave him a hint regarding the answer to his previous question.

There stood his mother, who he swears he saw with proper makeup a few minutes ago, one hand covering her mouth as she cried. Her other hand was clutching a white rose. Her grip on the rose was light; it appears she's supposed to let go of the flower but still seems to be hesitating.

"I won't ever forget you…all the memories I shared with you…I promise I'll take care of the kids…I love you…I'll see you again soon…" his mother croaked out. Her sniffing/hiccupping/sobbing interrupted every syllable of her little speech. She eyed the surface below, before closing her eyes and letting go of the flower.

Len's eyes followed the white rose. His ocean blue eyes did not blink while it tracked the rose, seemingly unsatisfied until it finds out where the flower will land. When the flower landed and he saw where; everything became much clearer.

The white rose landed on top of a black coffin along with numerous other white roses. He looked around him. Everyone was either crying his/her eyes out or were staring at the coffin sadly. So that's why it was so cold. So that's why even if all his aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents were here, no one was happy.

His father passed away.

There had been an unfortunate accident a few days ago. There was a fire in the establishment where his father had been working. Apparently, there was a malfunction in the building's electric circuits. A fire broke out; when people found out, the fire had already engulfed almost half of the building. His father made it out initially, but when he found out that a lot of people were still stuck inside and that firemen were nowhere to be found, he rushed back inside the burning establishment. He saved as many people as he could, but failed to save himself. He didn't make it.

He still remembers how happy his father was before he went to work that day. He had just been promoted as the Junior Vice President of their international company. He remembered how he promised him that he would buy him a PlayStation, an XBOX and as many games as he wants when he got his monthly salary. He remembered how brightly his father smiled at him that morning. He remembered how he hugged him goodbye before he left.

So that's why he feels like hell. So that's why he's clutching a white rose on his right hand.

He was about to say goodbye for the last time.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his sister utter her last words, before dropping her own rose. After doing her part, his twin sister stepped back and continued to sob. That meant it was his turn to drop his rose. Since he was closest to his father, he would be the last person to say goodbye before they bury him underground.

He couldn't move. He couldn't even cry. Out of everyone who was present during the burial, he was the only one who didn't appear to be grieving. Instead, he looked…indifferent…like he became a robot…like he lost the ability to feel. He blacked out. He didn't know what to do. He's supposed to say goodbye to his father? How does he do that? Is that even possible? What? Why? He's still so young. He only turned eleven a few months ago and he's already lost his father.

He was able to snap out of it when he felt his right hand, which had been empty, being held by another. He slowly turned his head to the right and saw something very familiar—a pair of beautiful, teal eyes. Ocean blue clashed with lush teal. She squeezed his hand. The cold became a little more bearable. Faint warmth enveloped his hand. Mildly, he was able to grasp the situation. A little bit of sorrow penetrated the cold…and for a second he became the usual crybaby that he was again.

A tear was slipping down her cheek. Her eyes were filled with concern. She opened her mouth to speak, only to close it right after. Her lips were quivering. He could see her desperate plea for him to remain sane. Weakly, he squeezed her hand back. She let out a gasp; the worry in her eyes lessened. She gave him a slight nod before turning to the black coffin below them.

He took a shaky breath. He faced his deceased father's coffin. He closed his eyes. He let out a deep sigh.

'Goodbye, Dad. Thanks for everything. I'll never forget you. Don't you worry, Dad. I'll take care of Mom and Rin. I promise. I love you, Dad. Rest peacefully' the blond recited mentally before dropping his own rose.

After the coffin was buried underground, everyone began to say his/her goodbyes and left. While everyone came over to hug and console his mother and his twin sister, Len remained on the spot where he stood before they buried his father. He just stared at the exact space where his father's coffin was visible some time ago. It wasn't before Miku told him that it was time to go home that he left his spot.

Miku continued to hold his hand while they walked over to their families. Miku's brother, Mikuo, was hugging Rin, comforting her while Miku's parents were consoling Len's now-widowed mother. With everyone crying in front of him, Len felt angry at himself. Why is it that he could cry over the stupidest of things like television shows and movies but can't bring himself to cry over his father's death.

Why can't he cry when it actually matters? Is it because he's older now? Is it because now that his father's dead, he's now the man of the household? And his dad told him boys don't cry…that _men_ don't cry. He's a man now, right? It's up to him to protect his mother and his sister; he even promised his father that he would do so. That's right. He has to be strong. He has to be a man. Men don't cry. Men don't cry. Only the weak cry. He's a man now. He doesn't cry.

Or perhaps…that wasn't the case for him.

Miku pulled him to a hug; the tealette wrapped her arms around his neck, encasing the emotionally drained blond in a bear hug. Miku rested her lips on his ear and whispered a few words that finally opened the floodgates of Len's tears.

"Things will be different now; some things will change. But don't you worry. What we have will never change. We'll remain as best friends, no matter what. I know how you're feeling, Len. It's really hard to lose a loved one, especially since you're still so young. Your Dad's in a better place, Len. Always remember that. I know you're a little older now, and that boys don't cry. But it's okay to cry, Lenny. Let it all out. It's normal to cry. It means you're human. Don't be afraid to show what you feel. I'm right here for you"

It caught him off-guard—how well Miku knew before he himself did why he couldn't cry—to say the least. And finally, he was able to grieve. He wrapped his arms around her waist and sobbed helplessly. He finally was no longer cold. He wasn't warm either, but at least he wasn't numb anymore. And he had her to thank for it.

 _That was when he realized that he_ _ **absolutely**_ _ **needed her**_ _in his life_

 **A/N: How was it? I admit, writing this was quite the challenge since I don't really know how to write characters as kids. Let me know what you think! I hoped you guys enjoy the first chapter! I'm sorry that this was also quite long? Because I really wanted to portray how important Miku is in Len's life. This'll be pivotal in the second chapter, as this ficlet progresses.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Before I forget, this fic was inspired by chapter 15 of hanakos' 'because love is too mainstream' fic and the amazing solitaryloner! Seriously, these two people are who inspired me to write about Len and Miku. I absolutely love their stories about this pair. Now, I want to ask you guys, if I should leave this as a two-shot or continue and make it a three-shot? I can end the fic right here if you guys want, but I actually planned to have a better ending than this. So please let me know! Enjoy reading!**

A loud sigh echoed across the empty living room. What was he going to do now? He's totally screwed. What if he doesn't manage to accomplish the task on time? What if he fails? What if he gets kicked out of the school? What if there's no more future for him?

Okay, maybe he was exaggerating…just a little bit.

The blond boy whose body was currently sprawled across the couch like an eagle resisted the urge to stand up and slam his head on the nearest surface he could find. He sat up and thought for a few seconds. He had nothing. He groaned, ruffling his own hair exasperatedly with both hands. He was so going to die.

Maybe he should just call his sister and ask her to help him. Of course! That would be a great idea! His older sister would always do whatever she could to help him out of a funk.

He reached for the black device that sat atop of the table in front of him. Before his fingers could graze his phone, he froze. He smacked his head, albeit not too hard. He suddenly remembered the reason as to why Rin wasn't here in the first place.

She was out on a date. With Mikuo. Oh, you know, Mikuo…the guy his twin sister's been crazy for since they met in kindergarten. Well this is great. How was he going to get himself out of this hole now?

Before he could blitz himself with more questions, he heard a door creak open. He shifted his gaze upwards to see what produced the sound. Moments later, a petite, teal-haired girl emerged; she pandiculated, not even bothering to cover her mouth as she opened her mouth as wide as she could. After performing her usual waking routine, she turned her head and saw the distressed boy lounging by the couch. She leaned forward on the wooden railing and flashed him a lazy smile.

"Hey Lenny"

"Good morning, sleepy-head. Slept well?"

"You bet!" Miku chirped before making her way down the stairs.

As usual, Miku was over at Len's house. Right after they were dismissed from school, both Miku and Len walked together to the latter's house. Miku always loved staying over the Kagamine's. She felt at home here as much as she did at her own house. It also helped that she was absolutely adored by the Kagamine twins and their mother.

And as usual, the tealette had been very exhausted because of her daily school activities. The moment they arrived, Miku went straight upstairs to Len's room, plopped down his bed and fell asleep in seconds. The teal-haired girl dozed off, not caring that she was still in her school uniform.. Len, having already been accustomed to Miku sleeping on his bed(because for some reason, Miku always liked staying in his room more than his sister's), draped his fleece blanket over her and went to finish his 'school work'.

Sadly, Len hasn't even started on his 'school work' yet. It wasn't because he didn't want to…but it was because he _couldn't_.

As Miku walked down the steps, she noticed the troubled look on her friend's face. "What's wrong? You look like you're having a hard time with something"

Len gestured to the scattered sheets of paper on the table in front of him. Miku walked over to the couch, sat down beside him and took a look at Len's papers. After a minute of skimming, Miku turned to him with a smile.

"You're trying out for the music club?" Miku asked, her eyes glistening with amusement.

Len blushed in embarrassment "Yes…" At this, Miku giggled. Len furrowed his eyebrows "What's so funny?"

"Oh it's nothing. And you're having a hard time because…?" Miku prodded, still smiling.

Len huffed and crossed his arms "I can't write my own song. There, happy? Stop being such a bully, Miku. We all can't be as talented as you are…"

Over the years, Miku and Len grew to become very talented young teens. Both attended Crypton Academy; the most prestigious music school for high schoolers in all of Japan. A number of the school's graduates have prospered into some of Japan's most popular and most successful singers. Basically, the school was a factory of J-popstars.

Miku was blessed with a goddess' voice; literally everyone who heard her sing thought and believed that she'll one day have a great career as a signer. She was also very adept at playing string instruments, especially the guitar. To top it all off, she was an amazing song writer as well. At the tender age of fifteen, she was already one of the best known singers in their area.

As for Len, he was one of the most talented musicians in their school. Being the same age as Miku, he could play practically every instrument there is(the piano being his favorite) and play it really well. He had a nice voice; although many would say he would become a better singer when his voice becomes deeper. But unlike Miku, he wasn't a great song writer. Sure, he could write a few songs, but they were nothing spectacular.

Like any other high school, students were encouraged to choose clubs. For this year, Len chose to become a member of the music club. Crypton Academy was a music school, but its music club was composed of the school's top singers/musicians only, making it an exclusive club of some sort. It was very difficult to get into the club; those who want to join would be asked to write a song of his/her own and perform it in front of the club's senior members.

Miku, being a child prodigy, was already a member of the club. Len's sister Rin was also a member of the club. While Len on the other hand, struggled to come up with a song of his own. He had done covers of popular songs before, but he had never written one of his own. And since the club was very strict with plagiarism, he was screwed.

"Now don't say that" Miku frowned "you just have to write about what you feel"

"Easy for you to say…"

Miku sighed. Len wasn't going to get anywhere with this kind of attitude. She brought her legs up the couch and shifted so that she was now facing him completely. Len gave her a weird look. What was she up to?

Before he could open his mouth to ask, she leaned towards him and grabbed both his hands. She caressed the blond boy's hands in her own. Len stared at their hands; his being massaged by Miku's soft, flawless ones. He began to relax. He turned his gaze back upwards and met with Miku's. A soft voice floated over his ears as he drowned in a comforting teal haze.

"What do you want your song to be about? Find the answer. But don't think. Feel it. Use your feelings to find the answer. What do you want to create? What kind of message do you want to send the world? What kind of feeling or thought do you want to express?"

Len almost fell asleep at Miku's soft tone. His eyes clashed with hers. Len began to feel…different. His heart…what was happening to it? It was beating faster than it usually does. His chest felt all…warm and fuzzy. Without knowing, he had fallen in a trance.

He saw teal. Teal. His nerves began to calm down. All the tension and anxiety evaporated into thin air; all he could focus on was the teal color.

This was the color that brought him out of his shell when he was just in kindergarten. This was the color that shared its banana milk with him that one time during the first grade. This was the color that saved him from those bullies when he was seven. This was the color that hugged him when he forgot his jacket during their field trip years ago. This was the color that held his hand when his father passed away. This was the color that's always been there for him.

This was the color that represented his friend. His first friend. His best friend.

This color…this color was important to him.

In a split second, he realized what kind of song he wanted to write. Yes, he had the perfect idea. He knew what kind of feeling he wanted to express.

He would write a song for this wonderful person that was sitting in front of him.

With a bright smile, Len grabbed a pen and a sheet of paper and began writing down the lyrics to his song. Surprisingly, Len just wrote word after word, not stopping to even think about what he was writing. He was just pouring everything out on a piece of paper. Everything—thoughts that he wanted to voice out but couldn't; feelings that he wanted to express but couldn't—regarding his teal-haired best friend.

Miku watched in awe as Len continued writing. She smiled. She knew her best friend could do it. Miku rested her head on his shoulder and continued to watch him. Minutes later, Len finished and showed Miku the lyrics to his song. As she read every word, Miku's smile widened. When she finished, she turned to him and nodded. It was an excellent song.

Len spent the whole night practicing with Miku cheering him on.

The following day, Len's tryout performance for the club was on. The blond boy was still feeling a little anxious. He really wanted to get into the club. Afternoon came and it was time for Len's tryout.

With a warm hug and a squeeze of reassurance, Miku sent him off.

"Good luck, Len! Just believe in yourself! We'll be fellow club members in no time!" Miku cheered with a grin.

Len smiled and nodded "For sure! I'll see you in a while" Len waved as he walked away. Len sighed in an attempt to relax. It was time to face this challenge…

"WOOO! HELL YEAH!" Len shouted while jumping as high as he could.

He made it! He was now part of the academy's music club! He let out girlish squeals of joy and continued to jump. He was just so happy right now! When he settled down, his thoughts were occupied by a certain tealette who helped him write his song the previous night. With a huge smile, he ran down the hall in search of his best friend.

After minutes of searching/running around, he found the tealette sitting on a bench near the school fountain. His lips stretched into a wide grin again before running towards her.

"Miku!" Len exclaimed.

Miku appeared to be deep in thought. There was a frown etched on her pink lips. She quickly turned her lips upside down into a smile when she heard Len's voice. Uneasily, Miku waved at Len.

Len, being happy and all, didn't notice the sudden change in his friend's behavior. He simply rushed to her and wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he could. He pulled away after a few seconds to explain why he just bear-hugged her out of nowhere.

"I did it! I'm in the club! The seniors loved my song! I can't believe it! It's all thanks to you, Miku! Thank you so much for your help!" Len gushed.

Miku giggled at his words "I told you you'd be fine! Welcome to the club! You shouldn't doubt yourself so much"

"Yeah, thanks for making me realize that. Now come on! Let's go home and celebrate!"

Miku's smile instantly turned into a frown "Sorry Len, I can't today. I'm still waiting for someone. How about tomorrow? I promise I'll drop by your house after school"

"Oh, that's alright" Len reassured, feeling a little disappointed. He really wanted to do something special for Miku tonight. Maybe cook dinner for her or something, just to show his appreciation for her.

It was then he noticed that Miku wasn't looking as cheerful as she usually was. She looked…tired? Well, she always was after school but not like this "Is everything okay, Miku? You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

Miku nodded, still smiling but not as brightly as he had been used to "Of course, Len. Thanks for that. I'm okay, really. I just have…some stuff to take care of"

Len didn't want to pry any further and just nodded. If she wanted to tell him about it, she would. "See you tomorrow then. Take care!" Len said, patting her head once before heading off.

When Len got to school the next day, he noticed Miku acting rather oddly again. Since first period began, she's had this dreamy look on her face. Her lips were curved into a stupid smile. She looked like one of those anime girls who just got shot with a cupid's arrow in the back. Seriously, she kept sighing every time she spoke. And her voice was softer than usual; she sounded like she was...high…like there was nothing wrong in the world and that life was perfect.

Even the teachers noticed the tealette's unusual behavior; they would glance at her every now and then during the middle of discussions. They all saw the same thing; Miku staring off into empty space, smiling and looking like a lovesick teenager. However, because Miku was such a brilliant student and that this was the only time she'd ever been like this, her teachers let it slide.

By the time lunch came along, Len's had enough of Miku's strange demeanor. He was tired of his best friend looking like a doofus. He was going to get to the bottom of it—now.

"Miku!" Len called out, walking towards the tealette who was sitting on a table by herself on the cafeteria. She was still smiling…it was beginning to look a little creepy.

Miku turned to her best friend and sighed dreamily "Hi, Len"

Len raised an eyebrow when he reached her "Are you okay? You've been acting really weird since you got to school"

Miku sighed(seriously, what was up with her sighing?) again, never losing her smile "Oh, Len. Life is just so wonderful…"

Len was beginning to worry. He seriously began to think about bringing her to the clinic. Did she hit her head or something? Before he could ask, Miku spoke again "I love it…I love it every single thing about this world. It's so perfect!"

"Uhh…Miku…?"

"I wonder what _he's_ got in store for us tonight…" Miku trailed.

"He? In store for who? What are you talking about?" Len inquired, now confused. Just what exactly is she...

Miku straightened up and looked at Len directly in the eye. Len's breath got caught in his throat. Her teal eyes were glistening in joy. Her pink lips were now curved in a beautiful smile (unlike the creepy one she wore a while ago). Her pale skin shone, rays of the sunlight illuminating her petite figure, making her look ethereal. She looked gorgeous…so gorgeous it was almost sinful. She gave off the perfect image of a carefree girl.

She was looked beautiful.

Len's heart sped up again. Out of nowhere, a variety of emotions bombarded the blond boy's heart. What was happening to him? Why did Miku look so…desirable all of the sudden? Why is he's feeling so warm right now? Why did he want Miku to smile at him like this and for no one else? Why did he want Miku all to himself? Why did he want to just walked over and kiss her until they run out of breath?

Shaking his head, Len ignored his feelings. He had to find out what was bothering Miku. But yet again, before he could speak, Miku's voice interrupted him.

" _He_ asked me out yesterday" Miku announced, practically oozing with happiness.

The world stopped moving. The air became unbreathable. It took every ounce of strength Len had to not collapse. Wait, why does he feel like he wants to puke? Why does he feel like he wants to punch a wall?

"H-he?" Len croaked out. He started shaking. Why did it hurt so much?

"Kaito, Kaito Shion" Miku answered.

Len inwardly whimpered. An image of the blue-haired boy came into his mind. He wasn't close with him, but he knew him well enough to know that he was a nice person. He should make a good boyfriend for Miku.

But no.

He didn't want that.

He would never want that.

And he didn't know why.

Why was he feeling so sad? Shouldn't he be happy for his best friend?

"A-and…you said yes?" Len asked…his voice doing nothing to conceal his emotions.

Miku however, was too happy to notice "Of course I did! I've always wanted to go out with him!"

That last sentence made Len feel worse. He just wanted to run away. He wanted to leave. He wanted to go to a place where no one would find him. He would do it all. Anything. Just to get the hell out of here at this very moment.

"Ohh…" was all Len could say.

"I'm sorry, but I'm just so happy! I still can't believe _the_ Kaito Shion is my boyfriend! And the best part, we're going out tonight! Isn't life so perfect?!" Miku gushed out.

With each word, Len seemed to grow more frustrated. Why is he-wait…did she say…tonight? But didn't she say that they were going to celebrate his admission to the music club tonight?

"M-miku? What about…?"

"Yeah?" Miku was still smiling(miraculously). Seeing the happy expression on her face made him hesitate, but he was feeling a little selfish right now.

"I thought…tonight…"

"Hm? What about tonight, Len?" Miku asked innocently. So she forgot, huh?

Oh forget it. He didn't want to ruin her day. Besides, the reason why he wanted to celebrate with her was to do something nice for her. If she wanted to go on a date with Kaito to spend her evening, he can't do anything about it.

Len forced a smile "Oh nothing. Have fun on your date tonight!"

Miku squealed "I sure will! Thanks Len! Hey, I have to leave. I'm going to eat lunch with Kaito and his friends. See ya!" Miku explained before heading off.

"Yeah, see ya" Len whispered sadly.

That day, Len walked home by himself. It felt really weird trudging down the streets by himself, as he was accustomed to walking home with Miku every day for the past few years. It irked him. There were no jokes exchanged. There was no laughter in the air. There was no teasing to go around. There was no debate about leeks and bananas. Nothing.

When he got home, he changed into more comfortable clothes and plopped down his bed. For the first time in years, he wasn't spending the afternoon with Miku in his house. There was no one else on his bed but him. There was no teal-haired girl sitting on his chair reading. There was no teal-haired girl playing on his console.

He was alone.

He shrugged his shoulders. It's just for today right? Miku will be back tomorrow. He's sure of it. She's his best friend; of course she'd come by tomorrow.

But a part of his mind told him otherwise.

 _That was the_ _ **beginning**_ _of the_ _ **end**_

Len sighed as he leaned further back into the huge boulder behind him. He watched the sun set, not taking his eyes off the sinking star as its color turned from yellow to a dark orange. There was silence; nothing could be heard but faint sound of car engines and the ocean waves. A flock of birds were flying by the horizon near the setting sun, creating a picturesque view. The seventeen year-old's lips curved into a small smile. He had been reminiscing about everything—about when things used to be so simple.

He snorted. He didn't think he'd handle his current situation like this. He expected himself to be crying his eyes out by now, whining and complaining about how things weren't fair. He thought he'd be choking on his tears once he looks back at 'the good times'. He had been(or perhaps still is) a crybaby. Apparently, that wasn't the case here.

Things have changed.

Len let out a bitter chuckle. He never thought those three words would leave such a bittersweet taste in his mouth. Things did change…for the better…and for the worse.

To start things off, his sister was doing really well in school. She had blossomed into one of the country's best young singers. In fact, she was so good, that record companies were already sending her offers despite her only being a high school senior. Of course, she was popular as well. She was adored by everyone in the academy and was friends with a lot of people. Also, she and Mikuo were still in a relationship—four years and still going strong. She's thinking about skipping college to jump straight into the music industry.

However, his family, overall, wasn't well off. The reason behind his twin sister's decision to skip college was because of their financial state. Since his father died, his mother had started working again. For a period of time, their mother was able to provide him and his sister with financial support without them working. But as the years went by, the bills became more difficult to pay. They've had to incur more expenses, and given the currency's inflation rate, it became more and more difficult to get by. The money their father left them and their mother's meager salary was no longer enough to sustain their way of living.

This was the reason why he was here, sitting on the spot he had discovered two years ago, thinking and preparing himself for one of the most difficult choices of his life. He had to do this. He knew Rin wanted to go to college, but because of their situation, she sat it aside and looked to work after high school. He didn't want that at all. He wanted a good life for his older twin sister. He didn't want her to work and suffer. The same with his mother—he didn't want his mother to get a third job just to support them.

Lastly, he didn't really have a reason to not push through with his decision.

The people he's going to leave behind, they're all going to be taken care of. It wasn't like there were a whole bunch of people who even need him to be here in the first place. The only two people who really needed him to an extent were his mother and his sister Rin. His mother was going to be fine with Rin around. And his sister would be fine since Mikuo would be here to take care of her. There really was no one holding him back…so why not?

Much to Len's chagrin, his thoughts drifted over to a certain teal-haired girl—the girl that _had been_ his best friend, the girl that he was so used to spending time with…

…the girl that…

Len shook his head. This wasn't the time to entertain such thoughts. Anyways, he thought about Miku Hatsune, who was a very important person in his life.

Two years ago, when Len got into the school's music club, he and Miku planned to celebrate. However, due to certain circumstances, Miku was unable to deliver on her promise to spend time with him to celebrate his success.

Sadly, she never did.

Since the day Miku informed him that Kaito asked her out, Len started to see less and less of Miku. At first, he thought nothing would change, that he and Miku were still the best of friends; that their relationship wasn't going to change at all. Boy, was he wrong. They began to spend less and less time with each other. When they did spend time with one another, Miku always raved about Kaito.

She told him about how sweet, gentle and caring Kaito was as a boyfriend. She always emphasized the fact that she never thought she could be so happy with another person on this planet. She felt like she could be whoever she was around Kaito and he would still love her. She went in-depth on how she would want to get married to Kaito during April because spring was her favorite season. She gushed regarding how perfect Kaito Shion was and that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.

Len clenched his fists. It was beginning to hurt again.

Months after he found out his best friend was dating the blue-haired heartthrob, Miku invited him to go out to dinner with her and her boyfriend. She pleaded with puppy eyes, saying something about how badly she wanted her best friend to meet her wonderful boyfriend. Len, being the idiot he was, accepted. That night, he saw how true Miku's words were. He thought Miku was just exaggerating when she told him Kaito was the perfect boyfriend. He was most definitely wrong. Kaito indeed was the perfect boyfriend. He was a sweetheart, a total gentleman, and a very talented singer.

As expected, Miku and Kaito became Crypton Academy's power couple. Miku Hatsune was not mentioned without Kaito Shion. Kaito Shion was not mentioned without Miku Hatsune. She belonged to him and he belonged to her. Everyone looked up to the power couple. Not only were they perfect for each other; they made an excellent duet.

Kaito was also a member of the music club. When he and Miku started dating, the two would often write songs about one another and sing to each other. This act eventually became a habit. Whenever there was an event/concert/recital and a duet would be required to sing, it was always Miku and Kaito who rose to the occasion. Miku had a goddess' voice while Kaito had a god's. Their voices fit together in perfect harmony, much reflective of who they were as a couple—seemingly destined to be, made only for one another.

Like his sister, the lovely couple was also being offered contracts by music labels. Music companies/industries over Japan visited their school often and would marvel at the perfection of Miku and Kaito. Everyone wanted to have a piece of them, seeing as they were both really talented and looked so adorable together.

Miku and Kaito made it together to the top…while Len stayed at the bottom.

In other words, Miku left him. She stopped going to his house. She forgot to greet him during his birthday ever since. She no longer walked to school with him. She no longer smiled that beautiful smile of hers at him(because it was already reserved for Kaito).

Len was left behind in the shadows. Sure, he was a talented musician and singer, but he was nowhere near Kaito's level. Since Miku and Kaito started dating, he became jealous. So jealous that he almost wanted to punch Kaito in the face(which he would've done had the blue-head been an asshole).

He was jealous because Kaito got to hear Miku's beautiful voice every day. He was jealous because Kaito got to hold Miku in his arms whenever he wanted. He was jealous because Kaito got to kiss Miku when he wanted to be romantic. He was jealous because Kaito got to proclaim his undying love for Miku Hatsune during senior prom. He was jealous because Kaito always spent time with Miku. He was jealous because Kaito was perfect for Miku. He was jealous because no matter what he did, Kaito would always be better in Miku's eyes.

Most importantly, he was jealous because Kaito was whom Miku chose over him.

When he realized so, the last straw snapped. He wanted to leave. He wanted to get the hell out of here like how he did when Miku told him she had a boyfriend.

This only served as a justification for him to push through with his plan. With newfound resolve, Len got up and began to walk home. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and went on.

The next day, he met with the school's principal after class. He presented the middle-aged man with an envelope before making his request. The principal read through the contents of the envelope. When he finished, he flashed Len a proud smile.

"I always knew you would be an excellent young lad, Len! I assume the reason why you want your diploma early is because of this? Oh my, Princeton, eh? A full scholarship too! This is amazing!"

"Yes, sir"

"Very well. But are you sure you don't want to stay until graduation? It's only three weeks away. Don't you want to be with your friends until then?" the principal tried to convince him with a smile.

"With all due respect sir, I don't think that's any of your concern" Len replied coldly.

The principal chuckled "Well, I guess it isn't. Here you go then" the principal handed him a few documents, which he took gratefully. He arranged the papers into the envelope he brought with him. Len shook his hand, then left.

"You would've had a great career in the music industry" the principal mumbled when he walked out the door.

Len heard the man's word clearly though. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. That fool did not know what he was talking about.

Did that principal think he did not know that? He knew that if he put in the effort, he would've been the best at it in the entire academy.

But why would he?

Why would he pour his heart into music, when it was what brought Miku away from him? Why would he indulge in something that took his best friend, someone so precious to him? Why would he try to excel in something that brought Miku and Kaito closer together?

That's why he stopped doing anything related to music in the first place. He lost Miku because of music. He hated it. He despised it. He wished the world would exist without music. Music was bullshit.

When Len made his way out into the school gates, his eyes landed on a familiar pair. There sat Kaito and Miku on a bench near the school fountain. They were laughing amongst themselves. Kaito must've made another awesome joke. Miku slapped the blue-haired boy on the shoulder. The boy retaliated by tickling Miku and eventually kissing her full on the lips. Miku moaned and kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck to deepen the sweet kiss.

Len wanted to drink bleach. He turned away and walked back home.

A week later, the seniors went on a trip across the country, a tradition for seniors before they graduate. Len of course, stayed behind, despite protests from his friends and his sister. That was when he finally went through with his plan.

He packed his bags, brought with him everything he thought he needed. When he was done, he left a letter on Rin's desk, explaining everything. He went downstairs where his mother was waiting for him, his luggage in tow.

He had already talked to his mother about his decision. She told him she wasn't going to stop him, which he was grateful for. Upon seeing her son, she walked over him and embraced him. Len hugged her back, holding back his tears. He couldn't believe he was going to leave his mother. But he had to. If he wanted Rin and her to have a good life, he would have to do this.

"Look at you, all grown up. Your father would've been proud of you" his mother declared lovingly. She caressed his son's cheek. It feels like yesterday, he was afraid of going to school. Now here he was, about to leave. A tear slipped down her cheek. He was going to miss her little boy.

Len's tears were on the brink of escaping from his eyelids. But no. He can't allow himself to cry. He has to be strong. "Thanks, Mom. I promise I'll call every week. I'll send you and Rin some money when I find a job"

His mother simply smiled at him before whispering "I hope you find what you're looking for, son"

A few minutes later, Len pulled away from his mother's sweet embrace. He nodded to her and tried to smile. He grabbed his bags and walked out the front door.

"Goodbye, my Lenny" his mother mumbled, now sobbing hard.

Hours later, Len found himself on the plane to the United States. He has a few weeks to settle down in his dorm and get used to life in a new country. When the plane took off, he recalled all the memories he had with the people here at home. No matter what, he would never forget them.

Soon, he found himself falling asleep. He needed his rest. It was going to a long flight after all.

Before he lost consciousness, his thoughts were occupied by a certain teal-haired girl. He smiled. The last time he saw her, at least she was happy. She was with Kaito. She was with the man she loved. He was jealous, he didn't like it, but Miku was happy…even if it wasn't him who was with her.

In a way…

 _That was the_ _ **last time**_ _he would ever see_ _ **her**_ _again_

 **A/N: Some parts look kind of rushed? Partly because I did rush things and partly because I really made it confusing to illustrate how confused Len was with his feelings. Honestly, I wouldn't blame you guys if you flame this one. This was a little too long, even for me! But meh, what's done is done. So, would you guys want me to leave this as it is? Or do you want to see a third chapter(which is the original ending I have in mind)? Please let me know and thank you for reading!**


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